33 killed, scores injured in fresh attack in Nigeria

LAGOS, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Suspected Boko Haram members on Tuesday killed at least 33 people in Konduga, a village 35 km from Maiduguri, capital of northeast Borno State, according to local officials.

The governor Alhaji Kashim Shettima who on Wednesday attended funeral of the victims including local residents and college students described the attack as "barbaric and unfortunate." Chairman of Konduga local government Lawan Gana Ngaleri said the insurgents "came to the town at about 4:30 p.m. in convoy of vehicles and motorcycles painted in military camouflage."

Ngaleri said the attackers used improvised explosive devices to raze down "almost all the building." However, local residents told Xinhua that more than 53 people were killed and many are still missing.

"There are still some corpses in the bush and some people were burnt in their houses and we can't even go there now. We have buried 18 people killed at Mandarari ward this morning," said a local resident who declined to be named.

He said the attackers came in by operational vehicles and dressed in military camouflage, throwing explosive devises on buildings. "Everybody was running in different direction." Shettima has directed the commissioner for local governments to release 100 million Naira (625,000 U.S. dollars) for the procurement of food, medication, clothes and blankets to cushion the effect of the attack on the people. He said 60 to 70 percent of the building in the town have been burnt.

Among the burnt structure and public buildings include state- owned College of Business and Administrative Studies, palace of the traditional ruler, a secondary school, shops, business center and the community central mosque.